Rose Painted Dreams
by Arella Grayson
Summary: Henry/Rika Fluff. When Rika receives the news of her moving to America, one tamer takes it harder than all the rest.


Rose Painted Dreams  
by Teenager Rika  
  
  
  
A/N: Warning: Short Story. Not like my others that are chapters and chapters long.  
It's the end of April (when I started writing this so if it's like mid-September when I post this.....) and I already put out something for Valentine's Day. But, when you get to talk to the older kids (Tai, Sora, Matt, Izzy, Mimi, Joe. , etc.) in the North Carolina Digimon RPG about past romances, it hits you.  
  
"Can I use that for one of my stories?" I ask Nichelle, the NCRPG Mimi who right now is going to college. We're on our way to the new Street of Southpoint mall as she's trying to pass the 1 1/2 hour drive by telling me about what Isaac (Izzy) did for her when she was 'my age' after she moved from Paris to the States; him soon following. The two of them are engaged now, and so I like to hear about stories, but this time. it was different. I'd never heard about how they first fell in love...  
"Huh? That? ... Well, I don't. see why not," she hesitates in the middle of her sentence often, and I start to wonder if I really should. I look back over at her after staring out the window, trying to spot the few PT Cruisers on the road that Saturday afternoon.  
"Oh please? I think that would make SUCH a perfect story! It's so beautiful!"  
"You have the 'Rika' tone in your voice. You're serious..." she looks over at me and I nod slowly.  
Stuck in traffic now. Well, it's official, the exit to the new mall is just up ahead. everyone's in this turning lane.  
She sighs, beeps the horn at the person in front of her who is currently playing 'fire drill' with the other person in his car, and both swear at us and dart back into the car. "As long as it's not something with the goggleboy..."  
I start laughing, half surprised that a college student in her second year would still be watching Digimon, but nonetheless she is, and I'm happy.  
"Oh no no no... Something along the lines of Jenki." I respond, laughing heartily.  
She looks over at me completely surprised at what I had just said. "Jenki? That's the blue-haired kid and the girl with the fox, right?"  
I give her a sharp look. "Henry Wong and Rika Nonaka thank you very much. one of which I play in the RPG..."  
"You play Henry?" she gives me a grin and I shoot her a look.  
"Very funny..." I snap. "So I can use it?"  
"Sure ... go right ahead," she smiles, and turns the radio up.  
  
Okay sorry I just had to put that in there. From this moment on (hey that's the name of a song), it's the story of Nichelle and Isaac, just retold. It's a truly touching story, so, girls, grab some Kleenex.. guys.. grab some too so you have something to rip up out of boredom. ^_^;;  
  
There is a poem here. Nichelle lost the poem, so did Isaac, So I went to Teenager Ryo.. Poem specialist. With what little details Nichelle could remember, he threw together the poem. So I give the credit of that to him.  
  
Oh. And Note to Nichelle and Isaac (who are getting married in 2 weeks.) I couldn't think of anything to give the two of you for a wedding gift, since I checked with everyone and the only thing I could give you that no-one else will is a lime green and brown spotted Furby (look out you are getting a few Furbys.). so Happy Wedding Day! *points at the story* This is for you!  
  
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She never thought it would come to this. She knew that her mother's job might take them somewhere else, but, she had already planted her roots in Shinjuku. She had friends. seven of them her best friends, and suddenly her mother springs it on her midst dinner? They were moving to the United State of America, on the east coast nonetheless. What was she going to tell the others? What would happen to her now?  
  
Jeri burst into hard tears the moment Rika stood up in front of everyone else in Takato's room, where the meeting for the tamers had been decided upon to take place, and gave her news.  
Takato's jaw dropped, and he stayed that way for a few minutes; Kazu and Kenta both shrieked 'what?' at the top of their lungs; Henry sat silent, a disturbed look across his face; Ryo stood immediately, his face solemn. Suzy held a blank look on her face, but when she realized what was going on, her face melted into a rush of tears, grasping Lopmon to her chest and crying harder than Jeri did.  
Rika clasped her hands behind her back, taking deep breaths to not ruin her reputation by crying right along with the other two girls.  
"Rika, this is all just a joke, right?" Henry's voice finally broke the silence, it's trembling sound making Rika wish she never even told anyone until it was absolutely necessary.  
She bit her lip and didn't respond to Henry, but it was response enough for Henry as soon he was on his feet too, and walking towards her.  
Takato shook off his trance and pulled Jeri down beside him, trying desperately to dry her tears, but soon gave up and started to cry too, wiping his eyes with his fist angrily; This was Rika, not like it was Guilmon. Why was this bothering him so much?  
"Takato don't cry all right? It's bad enough I have to put up with the rest of you." Rika tried to sound as bitter as she could, but soon one single tear ran down her cheek.  
The phone in Takato's room started to ring, and everyone looked towards it, but no-one ran for it.  
"Oh, fine. Make ME do it..."  
A small white and green rabbit digimon jumped up onto the desk and picked up the receiver. Everyone was used to digimon being around now, so it was no surprise to hear one pick up the phone, especially to the person on the other end.  
"Hello?"  
"Yeah she's here hold on."  
Much like Henry's face earlier, Terriermon's grew disturbed for the first time in ages, and he motioned to Rika with the phone.  
Rika took a deep breath and started walking towards him.  
"It's your Mom." Terriermon nodded to her, holding out the phone farther.  
Rika slowly took it in her hand, and put it to her ear.  
"Yeah, Mom?"  
The room grew silent, and Henry slowing stepped backwards, unnoticed, through the doorway and vanished down the hall, and out the door. Kazu would more than likely take Suzy home, Henry just needed to get away to think.  
"What?"  
Everyone perked up suddenly at the shrill sound of Rika's voice, and an angry look crossed the auburn's face.  
"Mother, you can't be serious! No!"  
"Mother!"  
"Not this soon, please..."  
Ryo took a deep breath and walked to Rika's side, putting his hand on her shoulder.  
"No, Mother... Mother please..." Rika's voice cracked, her violet eyes shimmering with tears.  
A few tears rolled down her cheek, and there was silence for a moment as she listened to her mother's argument on the other end.  
" ... okay." Rika said in an almost whisper. "Bye..." she said even more silently, putting the phone back down on the hook.  
She turned to look at the brunette boy behind her, sadness through her eyes. "The photo shoots have been moved."  
Ryo smiled warmly at her and nodded. "That's good."  
"No.," she put her hand to her forehead and stared at the ground. " ... it's been moved earlier."  
"So?" Kazu asked.  
Rika turned to look at him, and suddenly broke down in tears. "We're leaving in a few days."  
  
A phone call from not only Takato, Jeri, Kazu, Kenta, and Ryo ... but the heart wrenching sobs from Rika as she personally came to see him, was about killing Henry. He didn't know to cry, to yell, or to just admit defeat to the world and let it consume him; it was all confusing.  
In what seemed like only seconds, three days had passed since Rika's news. He and the other boys often went to Rika's house after school to help her pack, or just to offer friendly support. On more than one occasion, someone pulled her aside, confessing some feelings they had kept inside towards her.  
She'd just cry, and not say a word in response, like she had something inside her keeping her from either giving those feelings back to them, or just not wanting to at all.  
Henry seemed to be the only one who didn't talk to her in private, most times he'd just force a smile at her and tried to make the best of the situation, sometimes taking a heavy box from her and carrying it out himself, at other times, just sitting beside her on the couch when they took breaks.  
The house seemed so large now that no furniture was in it, almost like a mansion now that Henry thought about it. He wondered if maybe this was for the best, if Rika would be better off in America after all. She'd more than likely have a bigger house, and may just settle down there, get married, have a family. But, would he?  
"Earth to Henry, come in..."   
Henry blinked a few times and shook himself out of his trance to see Rika's hand waving in front of his face.  
He stood slouched against the wall, daydreaming as professional movers loaded the last of the possessions into the truck to be taken on the jet Rika's mother ordered.  
He gave another forced smile at her, seeing the redness around her eyes, more than likely from crying like she so uncharacteristically done for the last few days.  
He put his hand gently on her shoulder as she stifled another round of sobs. "It'll be okay. I promise."  
Rika looked away, one tear escaping from her eye. "How can you be so sure? I might never see any of you again..."  
"Might... Rika ... might. And if I can't see you until I'm an adult, so be it. I'll search for you, even if no-one else would."  
Rika sighed and made eye-contact again. "Really?"  
"I promise..." he smiled, but it was a real smile, Henry had almost completely forgotten the feel of a real smile, and totally forgotten what Rika looked like in anything but a depressed state, but now she smiled slightly, a burst of red rushing through her cheeks as she looked away again.  
"Thanks, Henry," she whispered, turning and walking out of the room, down the sunlit hallway.  
Henry finally came to the realization as her footsteps blended back into the sounds of men yelling orders, and Rika's mother yelling more orders.  
Man, he was going to miss that girl. His heart seemed to melt whenever he saw her smile, and he'd fall for her every time she laughed. He even found her miserable states attractive, in their own way.  
What was he thinking? Rika ... and him? Especially now that she was leaving for an entirely different continent? It was impossible. Sure he'd heard of people who had long distance relationships, but none of them ever worked out, and anyway how could Rika ever love him?  
  
The bustling airport confused even the more traveled people on that rainy Sunday afternoon. It seemed even the clouds mourned Rika's leaving, as she clutched a single bag she'd carry on the flight close to her.  
She'd said her good-byes to everyone, everyone cried but Henry, whom she never exchanged a word with.  
Henry had kept to the back of the group the whole time, holding nothing but a soft pink envelope in his hand, but not letting anyone read the inscription on the front.  
"Rika ... it's time." Rika's grandmother calmly put a hand on her granddaughter's shoulder  
Rika took a staggering breath, and looked at the tamers and digimon that stood in front of her. She scanned all of them over long and hard, as if burning the moment in her mind, and soon, she looked to the large window that overlooked the runway. Henry stared out it a few yards away, grasping the envelope tighter.  
"Grandma, I have one last good-bye." Rika turned, and her grandmother sighed, and nodded.   
"Hurry up, child."  
Rika almost ran to Henry's side, and leaned against the glass to get a straight look at Henry's face.   
"Henry..."  
"My God. I'll miss you..." out of nowhere, Henry's voice was heard whispering as he made eye-contact with her.  
"Just ... take this." Before Rika could say a word in response, Henry thrust the envelope into her chest.  
She started to run her thumbnail across the envelope, but Henry stopped her.  
"On the plane, Rika ... read it there."  
Rika tucked the envelope into her jeans pocket, and after a moment of awkward silence between the two, rushed into his arms, hugging him tightly.  
Taken aback, Henry didn't dare touch the girl that now sobbed into his chest something no-one could make out.  
But slowly, Henry put his hands on her back, and soon wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.  
"I'll come for you. I'll find you..." he whispered repeatedly. "I promise Rika. I promise, you'll never be alone."  
"Rika now..."  
Rika slowly pushed off Henry, and looked back at her Grandmother, already walking out to the plane.  
"I.. Have to go now." Rika whispered, and looked into Henry's sad gray eyes. "Good-bye, Henry."  
Henry grabbed her arm as she started to walk away. "Not good-bye ... see you later."  
Rika smiled slightly and nodded. "I'll... see you later ... then..."  
Henry smiled back, despite the tears threatening to fall as she turned her back to the group of digimon and tamers, and walked off, pulling the bright blue raincoat over her head, and soon breaking into a run, as if trying to leave before she was too attached to the city. But the memories were burned in her mind for all time. She was already too attached for her own good.  
No-one noticed the indigo haired boy vanish from site again, but taped to the window was yet another note, the words To: My fellow tamers, written on the front.  
  
Rika looked around the inside of the jet. It was just as she had expected ... expensive, and she almost had an entire floor of it to herself. She spotted the large television screen, sound system, even a collection of books to read, but her mind seemed to tell her to go for the note in her pocket.  
Squirming to dig it out of her pocket despite the seat belt that still was hooked to her, she finally pulled it out, and turned it to it's front to see the finely written cursive on the front in red ink.  
  
To: Rika Nonaka  
  
She smiled, recognizing it as Henry's handwriting he used when something important was being written.  
At other times, he always dotted her name with hearts just to tick her off, but this time it was just dotted normally, and Rika admitted it was beautiful.  
She slid her thumbnail under the seal and opened the envelope slowly. She pulled out a light pink piece of paper and suddenly the smell of rose petals surrounded her. As she pulled it out completely, a few dozen petals fell to her lap. She gasped at the bright red petals, and fingered them carefully, but soon turned her attention to the note. She unfolded it, and a few more petals dropped to her lap, and a beautiful rose stationary was revealed inside, and a poem written with the same red ink and same handwriting inscribed.  
  
To My Beloved Rika,  
  
Few word can describe  
The feeling that each day  
You always seemed to come and give me  
And helped then to brave  
The horrors that this world inflicted  
On a soul like me.  
But always, always you came down,  
And the path I came to see.  
  
When the world came crashing down,  
And I felt I was alone,  
You were the one to hold me,  
And then to lead me home.  
Why I never realized it,  
Why I never seemed to see,  
Why I never said I loved you,  
Has always confounded me.  
  
But now it is too late  
To explain to you my heart.  
I just hope you feel the same,  
And I promise I'll be a part  
Of you be near or far from me,  
My love will always be  
There when you wake each morning,  
And breathe in the night's air.  
  
A single rose among the daisies,  
In my heart you'll be.  
And until the ends of time,  
You'll always capture me.  
  
Truly,  
  
Henry Wong  
  
Rika felt hot tears start to swell in her eyes, and a warm hand slid across her shoulder. She started to cry harder, knowing exactly who it was.  
She stood up immediately and spun around to see an indigo-haired boy standing behind her, a loving smile across his face.  
"Henry, oh Henry..." she rushed into his arms, sobbing even harder, the rest of the red rose petals falling to the ground around them.  
Henry wrapped his arms around the girl and smiled. "It's okay Rika, I'm not leaving you ever again."  
"But how?" she sobbed softly into his chest. "How?"  
  
Takato ripped open the envelope and started reading, digimon and tamers crowding around him trying to get a glimpse of the letter. Guilmon had suddenly seen the note when Terriermon's presence had disappeared.  
"My fellow tamers..." Takato started to read the note aloud, and Suzy's face became bright, as if suddenly remembering something joyful.  
"I know I know! He's on the pwane with Wika!!"  
All eyes turned to Suzy, and Takato's jaw dropped. "What?" he choked out.  
Suzy nodded, grasping her stuffed animal to her chest. "Daddy told Henwy he can stay with Wika until we move thwere... Daddy's got a new job."  
Dead silence surrounded the tamers, and Jeri looked out the large window of the airport, towards the rainy sky Rika and Henry had vanished into.  
Rika wasn't alone after all, like she had thought.  
Rika was with Henry. Rika was with her true love. 


End file.
